Garden Fail

We tried to grow brussels sprouts in the garden this winter. The plants grew nice and tall - about 18 inches - but the sprouts themselves never got very big, and when H dug them up last weekend, they were rock hard. Plus, they took up lots of space in the garden. So we are back to our favorite garden produce - tomatoes. We (by which I mean H) planted two varieties of heirlooms in the place of the brussels sprouts.

* * * 

Day 11 - Clutter Cleanse: Perfect time to clean out the refrigerator. I got rid of about 4-5 nearly-empty containers as well as cleaned out some tupperware.

Annenberg Leadership and Management Speaker Series

In the past year or two, HMC has hosted a speaker series for leadership development. They bring in people who share insights into leadership in a technological world. Last week we went to hear Indra Nooyi, the COO of PepsiCo, and last night we heard an HMC alum who works for Microsoft and was instrumental in the development of their tablet, Surface.

Michael Angiulo '93 gave a very engaging talk about his path through Microsoft, from intern to Corporate VP and the things which motivate him to be creative and successful. He works on projects that are 1) hard 2) intrinsically interesting to him 3) supposedly impossible. If someone says to him, "It can't be done", he knows he's on the right track.

* * *

Day 10 - Clutter Cleanse: Donated a cardigan sweater that I no longer wear.

A Photo An Hour - April 8

I got this idea for a blog post from my daughter's Instagram feed. One day she posted a photo an hour from the time she got up until the time she went to bed. Yesterday was the Monday of Spring Break, so I had more leeway for photo-taking throughout the day. Here is a look at my day off from work.

7:00 a.m. - My shades are drawn as I listen to Morning Edition and learn that Margaret Thatcher has died.

8:00 a.m. - Walking home from the gym in the gentle rain.

9:00 a.m. - Updating my podcasts and drinking coffee. (Day 9 of Clutter Cleanse entailed going through many files on my computer and deleting them.)

10:00 a.m. - Trying to decide which salsa to buy at Trader Joe's.

11:00 a.m. - Practicing the viola.

12:00 noon - Almost time for lunch, but admiring the way the sun has come out and the start of leaves on the trees.

1:00 p.m. - Starting a book.

2:00 p.m. - Getting ready to practice the violin.

3:00 p.m. - Working on garageband for an accompaniment for my recorder students.

4:00 p.m. - Words with Friends.

5:00 p.m. - Gathering ingredients for dinner.

6:00 p.m. - Working on eating dinner.

7:00 p.m. - Going to orchestra rehearsal at Balch Auditorium. 

8:00 p.m. - Rehearsing Haydn's Creation.

9:00 p.m. - Chilling in front of the t.v.

10:00 p.m. - Getting ready to read a little in bed before falling asleep.

The Cat's Table

There's nothing like a library deadline to help you finish reading a book. I wasn't expecting that The Cat's Table by Michael Ondaatje would have a hold on it, but there you have it. It was just the push I needed to get going on the story. It starts out a little slowly, and it was unclear to me what this was about, besides a coming-of-age story. This story centers around a 3-week journey ship from Colombo to England by an 11-year-old boy in the 1950s. Starting out innocently enough, the story finally picks up steam where details about events on the ship come into focus through the lens of the future where the protagonist looks back upon this voyage. The cat's table refers to the dining table reserved for the lowest social strata on the boat, the table farthest from the captain's table.

* * *

Day 8 - Clutter Cleanse: Another book bought at a library sale makes its way to the purgatory donation pile.

Mission 4/1 Earth: 50 Great Days

This morning in church we heard about the UCC mission to be actively engaged in being good to the environment for the 50 days between Easter and Pentecost. Apparently you can log on and count your participation in three different goals: 1) 1 Million Hours of engaged earth care, including clean up, advocacy, and education (does this blog post count?) 2) 100,000 trees planted 3) 100,000 letters of environmental advocacy written and sent to elected officials and media.

This got me to thinking that I should really revisit my idea to compost. I've thought about it off and on, but it seems a little daunting to me. Just how will I compost? How can I make it easy enough that I will actively compost every day? I certainly have plenty of food scraps from dinner and lunch prep that we could eventually use in our garden. Maybe over this week (CUSD spring break!) I will carve out a little time to plan what I should do.

* * *

Day 7 - Clutter Cleanse: While sitting in line for gas today, I went through the glove box and found all the old, expired paperwork (car registration and insurance, tire receipts). Shredded!

Butternut Squash and Black Bean Enchilada Skillet

While in Cambria a few weeks ago, we had dinner at Medusa's Sunshine Taqueria, and I particularly enjoyed my butternut squash enchiladas. I thought I would try to duplicate them at home and looked for a recipe and came up with this Butternut Squash and Black Bean Enchilada Skillet which is way easier than making individual enchiladas while still having that flavor.

Next time I make them I may substitute sweet potatoes for the butternut squash and also green enchilada sauce for red. This recipe was recommended because it is fast and easy, and if you use the pre-cut butternut squash, it really is.

Butternut squash and spices in olive oil

                                      

Added cheese and cut-up corn tortillas

 After time in the broiler, throw some cilantro on top

* * *

Day 6 - Clutter Cleanse: While going through the kitchen I spied a little french press that I have never used in 5 years and do not know where it came from, and also some Tupperware cups that we haven't used in forever since H does not like the way that water tastes in them. One of five flower vases rarely used and a cold drink cup never used. All donated.

Bobby McFerrin

My friend Susan had an extra ticket to see Bobby McFerrin at Disney Hall on Wednesday night and offered it to me. I was very happy to accept. His program, entitled "Spirit You All" or "Spirityouall" consisted of spirituals. He had a 5-piece jazz band with keyboards, drums, bass, guitars and even a fiddle. He also improvised with his band, which always amazes me that people who play with each other long enough can work together in something unscripted.

One of my favorite parts was audience participation. He did some call-and-response, some sing-alongs, and at one point he invited anyone to come sit on stage with him and sing Amen. If we had not been so far away, I would have easily accepted the offer. Imagine! Sitting next to Bobby McFerrin and singing with him.

I came home and perused his recordings on Amazon and purchased the CD Circlesongs. One of the new Amazon things is that if you buy certain CDs, you get automatic, instant mp3 downloads of the songs, so I have been enjoying these minimalist improvisatory acapella songs.

* * *

Day 4 - Clutter Cleanse: I'm going through my collection of CDs and making sure that I have the songs I want on my computer (which is backed up in several locations). The home-burned ones (about 10 at this point) are going in the trash.

Day 5 - Clutter Cleanse: I sent one book I bought at a library sale off to a new owner on paperbackswap.com

Etsy Shopping

I've known about Etsy (the website where you can buy handcrafted items) for a while now. My cousin has an Etsy shop called Prairie Path Wool where she sells items made from upcycled wool. Right now she has some adorable chickens in her shop. 

I finally got an Etsy account because I couldn't find exactly what I was looking for in the stores. This week I have gotten the my first two items - a barrette and a business card holder. I like the fact that I am buying directly from a small business owner. I also like the items since they are distinctive.

Day 4 - Clutter Cleanse: Speaking of shopping online, recently I bought a small glockenspiel to use at school and it came with a whole bag full of Kindermusik books (used worksheets included!), and I'm pretty sure I won't be using those in class, so those will first be offered to my Music Together teacher friend, or they may just end up in the Goodwill donation pile.

The irony of buying and then getting rid of stuff in this post is not lost on me. However, the item I'm offloading today is many times larger than than these two small items....

Of National Poetry Month and Baseball

"Poets are like baseball pitchers. Both have their moments. The intervals are the tough things." 

- Robert Frost

Coming through the entire month of March offers its rewards for me, and I don't even live in a place where we get real winter. But after the short month of February and before the glorious greening of April, the long, long month of March stretches out.

And now it's April, and there is baseball to watch, baseball to listen to, and every team has a clean start. This is the next year for which we've waited.

April is also National Poetry Month, which often means little to the general public, but for the occasional NPR stories. 

In honor of baseball season and National Poetry Month, you can peruse this website which has complied baseball poems and songs.

*   *   *   *   *

Day 3 - Clutter Cleanse: I found a little salt and pepper shaker combo that I don't even remember getting. Who needs more than one set? Donated.

Hamlet's Last Act - Wayang Kulit Style

Due to my various connections with music at the colleges, I heard about a performance of Hamlet (or the last part of Hamlet) as told with shadow puppets and Balinese gamelan (wayang kulit) on Saturday afternoon. Having had some experience with gamelan and having seen a more traditional wayang kulit, I was intrigued, so I had to go.

I did not realize that this performance was part of Pomona College's Edward Gordon Craig Conference, or even that such a conference was taking place, so I was surprised to see the auditorium at the Scripps Humanities building full on a Saturday afternoon.

The performance was just over 30 minutes long (traditional shadow puppet plays can last all night long), and it was helpful to know the story of Hamlet, since it started in the middle, but I enjoyed the different perspective of this well-known play.

A close-up of the king and queen with the tree of life (a symbol from the wayang to signify the beginning and end of the play)

A shot from the gravedigger scene (Alas, poor Yorick)

Puppets seen from behind the screen

Day 2 - Clutter Cleanse: one of two cream pitchers that I own. I rarely use one, so there is certainly no need for two.  It was a gift to me about 20 years ago from a friend who I have long ago lost touch with. I will donate it.